Soler’s 2 HRs, Baez double send Cubs past Cardinals

ST. LOUIS — Jorge Soler hit two homers and fellow rookie Javier Baez had a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning off All-Star reliever Pat Neshek as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Friday night.

The Cardinals lost in the return of star catcher Yadier Molina. He had been out since July 9 because of a torn ligament in his right thumb, and went 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

The crowd at Busch Stadium gave Molina a standing ovation when he walked in from the bullpen after pregame warmups, and another cheer before he batted in the first inning.

Neshek (6-1) led NL relievers with an 0.81 ERA entering the game. It was 2-all when he came in to begin the eighth, and he gave up hits to the first three batters.

Neil Ramirez (2-1) allowed two hits in a scoreless seventh.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks worked six solid innings in his bid to become the franchise’s first rookie to win five games in August.

Soler hit his second homer of the season on Shelby Miller’s first pitch of the seventh to tie it at 2. In his next at-bat, Soler hit a two-run shot in the eighth. Soler finished 3 for 3. Luis Valbuena and Arismendy Alcantara also homered for the Cubs, with all four Cubs drives estimated at 400-feet plus. They entered with 30 homers this month, tied for most in the NL.

Cubs reliever Justin Grimm struck out four in the ninth. One of the batters reached on Grimm’s wild pitch.

Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta had RBI singles in the St. Louis first. After Peralta’s hit, Hendricks retired 11 in a row.

▪ LHP Felix Doubront (straight right calf ) will be activated off the DL Saturday and make his Cubs debut as the Game 1 starter of a day-night doubleheader. He’s been out since Aug. 1.